An Innocent Spark [Zukka]

Chapter 69: Ambush

The sun had set and after several rounds of Pai Sho they both agreed they wanted to turn in early and get a good night's rest. Sokka put away the playing pieces and board in the box they came in while Zuko moved the nightstand back to where it was supposed to be.

Sokka grabbed the box and quietly closed the door to Zuko's room. The hallway was dark, only a few of the lights were still lit and it was eerily quiet. There were no nurses out making rounds like on previous nights.

When he got to the reception desk, he rang the bell. No one came after a minute, so he rang the bell again thinking the receptionist hadn't heard it the first time.

No one came and the uneasy feeling in his stomach was growing. Something was not right, and he had felt the same thing while fighting Lao's soldiers on Ember Island.

He set the game down on the counter and ran back to Zuko's room where he heard his boyfriend shouting and the room lighting up.

The doorknob wouldn't give. Whoever was in there had didn't want anyone to disturb them, but Sokka was not about to let anything happen to Zuko again. He had made a promise to protect him, and he would die before he broke that promise.

He took out his sword and kicked down the door, hitting one of the cloaked assailants in the process. Zuko had fallen out of bed and was crawling towards the bathroom as one of the attackers was grasping his burnt arm screaming.

Sokka lunged towards another one of them and met the woman's blade with his own. She was temporarily stunned and stumbled back, giving him enough time to disarm her.

A shot of fire took out another attacker but three more crashed through the windows, spraying glass across the room. Sokka instinctively covered his eyes, but it gave his opponents the advantage and two of them tackled him to the ground. He lashed in a futile attempt to free himself, but they were larger and heavier than he was.

Zuko put up more of a fight despite his injuries but not long after his fire went out and one of the attackers said, "I've got him."

"Zuko!" Sokka shouted and put up more of a fight, momentarily freeing one of his arms from one of the men's grips before they pinned him down again.

"Let go of me," Zuko said and grunted as he aggressively resisted against his captors.

The attackers dragged them out of the room and down the hall towards the emergency exit at the far end of the hallway. The man who had pinned him down held onto the sword Sokka cherished so much.

A loud thud shook the floor behind them. Sokka turned around just as two more of the assailants got struck by something. He was shocked when at the other end of the hall he saw Mai as three more blades shot through the air with expert precision.

The attackers were now on the offensive and were rushing towards her, but they had no chance against the best shot in the world. Her knives never missed their targets.

Sokka and Zuko used her appearance to their advantage, heaving towards the men holding them and knocking them against the wall. Sokka grabbed his sword from one man's belt before turning to Zuko and asking if he was alright.

Zuko nodded and they raced off to help Mai. Several more cloaked assassins rushed into the hall from Zuko's room and joined the fight. Sokka attacked the ones closest to him while Zuko ran past them towards the group attacking Mai.

Mai had taken down most of them and together the three of them made short work of the remaining attackers. Once they had a second to catch their breath Zuko asked, "What's going on?"

"We don't have time," Mai said, sounding like she had just run a marathon, "I need to get both of you out of her before the rest of them show up."

"The rest of who?" Sokka asked, wanting just as much as Zuko to know what was going on.

"Let's go!" Mai yelled, not taking no for an answer. Sokka stopped and reached out and grabbed Zuko's forearm.

"Are you alright?" Sokka asked in a concerned way. Zuko was clearly shaken up by what happened, and Sokka wanted to make sure he was okay before rushing off into whatever was to come next.

"Yeah," Zuko said in a half believable manner. The golden eyes that had minutes before gleamed with joy as he beat Sokka at Pai Sho were now avoiding Sokka's.

Sokka gently placed his hand on the firebender's chin so their eyes would meet. He was worried about him.

"I'm scared," Zuko admitted. The fear he felt was palpable and his eyes showed it. "But as long as you're here I'll be alright."

"I'm not leaving your side for a second," Sokka said and grabbed Zuko's hand firmly.

Zuko smiled ever so slightly before Mai said, "that's cute and all but we're all going to die if we don't get out of here."

The three of them ran out the emergency exit and down the wooden stairs, sneaking away into one of the countless dark alleys the city was now home to. The lanterns throughout the city were put out and the city felt unwelcoming and hostile.

"We have to make it to the dock," Mai said as they took another turn down an alley going downhill.

"Why don't we make for the palace?" Zuko asked, "my guards are loyal and will protect us better than we can on our own."

"That's exactly what they would expect you to do," Mai said, "if we're to keep you safe we have to get you out of the city for the time being."

The streets that had started to feel familiar to Sokka now felt as if they could have been in an alternate reality. Within a few turns he was lost, but Mai both seemed to know exactly where she was going.

He was worried Zuko would struggle to keep up after his injuries, but it seemed like the adrenaline was doing a good job of keeping his mind off the pain.

They reached the dock and came upon an average looking fishing boat, not very big but big enough for a small crew to survive out at sea for a few weeks.

Zuko and Sokka climbed aboard, but when Zuko reached out his hand to help Mai up she took a step back.

"I can't go with you," Mai said, her normally flat and hard to decipher voice sounded conflicted.

"What are you talking about? They know you helped us get away," Zuko said.

"I can't leave Lee and his family behind," Mai said, taking another step away from the boat and looking around frantically. "There are massive protests across the country. I'm afraid they'll go after anyone that might be associated with you."

"Is it because I legalized same-sex marriage?" Zuko asked hesitantly. Mai didn't answer but her silence was an answer in and of itself. Zuko banged his first on the side of the boat. "How could I have been so stupid? I've thrown the Fire Nation into chaos because I hoped they would be ready to accept progress."

"Zuko, it wasn't your fault," Mai said quietly, "no one could have predicted this would happen."

"You don't get it!" Zuko said a bit too loudly, "I'm putting everyone in danger."

"It was the right decision to make," Mai said flatly. She was right but Sokka knew Zuko wouldn't see it that way, at least not for a little while.

"You need to go before they track you down," Mai said and turned away. "I hope this will all blow over soon, but if not, I really am happy for both of you."

With that she was off into the night. Sokka let Zuko stare off towards where she had disappeared while started the engine. He had no idea what tomorrow would hold, but for that moment all that mattered was getting Zuko to safety, wherever that may be.